IAPHS BLOG

Many people have difficulty grasping the full extent and impact of gun violence in the United States. Firearms are the cause of death in a large proportion of intimate partner homicides, accidental child deaths, gang violence, mass terror-inspired incidents, police shootings, and suicides. While gun violence may seem concentrated in certain regions of the country, the fact is that every American is affected, whether they live in a diverse urban area or homogeneous rural town. Beyond death and injury, firearm violence takes a toll on individuals and communities that profoundly affects their sense of security and well-being. In most areas of public health, the challenge for researchers is identifying effective interventions and then executing the best policies to implement them. As recorded in  decades-worth of studies, we have determined effective strategies for reducing both tobacco and alcohol use, and we’ve implemented many policies that lead to better health outcomes. Compared with other areas of public health like these, however, there has been very little conclusive research on best methods of prevention and no consensus on actions to curb gun violence across the country. In addition, mounting political pressure related to gun policy presents a formidable obstacle to the practice of […]